Apparatus for perforating tape for automatic telegraph



No. 751,164. I PATENTED PEE. 2, 1904. J. GELL. APPARATUS FOR PBRFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED FEB. 2, 1904.

J. GELL. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

no MODEL.

@ wags No. 751,164. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

J. GELL. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS OR THE LIKE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 9. 1903. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

I. UNIT-ED STATES Patented. February 2, 1904.

PATENT 'OFFICE.

, JOHN cELL, OF-WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND.

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE; FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS OR THE LIKE.

srncrrrcnrron forming part of I la Patent No. 751,1e4,a az e11 February 2, 1904.

Applicotionfllcd in, 9.190s. Serial No- 150,366. (No an.)

To all witom itmay concern."

Be it known that I, J OHN GELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Wellington, New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pe'rforatingTape for Automatic Telegraph Instruments or the Like, of which the follow- 'ing is a specification. My present invention is an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in Letters Patent ofthe United States No. 710,448, grantedto me October 7, 1902, and upon that shown in applications for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me November 3, 1902, and respectively numbered 129,879 and 134,997.

I have sought by my present invention to simplify the apparatus and at the same time to render it certain in .its operation, the action of the various groups of mechanisms taking place in proper order and each without interference with the action of any other group.

The features of improvement will be fully described hereinafter an 3 particularly pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a'sectional view from front to rear thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view along line 3 3 of Fig. 1, but with some of the parts in eleva' tion. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 with some of the parts in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view along line 5 5 of Fig. 1 with some of the parts in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail view relating to the tape-feed wheel and its presser-foot. Fig.

6 is a detail sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig.

lwith parts in elevation. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the e eetric connections of the apparatus. Fig. 8 1s a detail view of the connection operated by the limiting-key.

' Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of modifica- .tions.

a sectional view, of means for limiting the rise lating to the parallel selecting-bars and their supporting means. Fig. 12 is adetail view of the punches-and associated devices. 13 is a'sectional plan view of the housing for the punches of the slider.- Fig. 14 is a detail Fig. 10" is a', plan View, and Fig. 10"- Fig.

and applications above referred to, and the 1 bottom plan view of 'g. 12. I Fig. 15 shojvs 5 key-levers 1 are fulcrumed at 2, so as to have the same terminal lift. The key-levers operate vertical rods 3, guided in the frame; and having selecting-combs 4 at their upper ends, said combs 'carryingrollers to engage and lift" certain predetermined of parallel bars, which are supported by links 6, pivoted thereto at their ends and pivoted also to the'fixed frame of the machine. The movement of these parallel selecting-bars controls theoperation of the various groups 015, 5 mechanism embodied in themachine.

The machine comprises a series of'punches 7 for perforating the strip of paper or tape to represent the letter or character and toprovide feed-holes and. the spacing-hole.

It comprises also differential feed mechanism for the tape which advances the tape differentially, according to the number of ratchetwheel holes or feed-holes in any particular letter.

The feed must be regulated differentially in order that the tape bemoved forward the exact distance corresponding tothe number of r feed-holes used in the letter just punched.

In the cable-transmitter perforator to which my invention appertains the spacing and marking or character holes utilize from one to five units of length, and it is necessary to regulate the feed according to the letter perforated.

Tape-feeding mechwism.The tape is fed by a star feed wheel 8,having projecting points to engage the feed-holes of the tape. This star feed-wheel is on a shaft 9, journaledin bearings 10 under the top plate of the ma chine, said shaft having fixed thereto .a Iantern feedwheel 11, engaged by a feed-pawl 12 on-a feed-girder 13. "The pawl is under tension'of a spring 14. The feed-girder is hung on parallel links 15 and 16, one of which is pivotally supported onthe feed-shaft 9, and the ,other'is" pivoted at 17 below the top plate of the machine. I V The feed-girder is pressed normally to the groups or combinations 6o right, Fig. 3, by a spring 18, connected to a pin 19, adjustably held by nuts 20 .to a bracket 21 on the plate of the machine. Opposite the other end of thefeed-girder there is a series of stop-feed pins 22 22 22 22, arranged to be thrust singly, as will be hereinafter described, across the path of the feed-girder as it swings leftward, the function of said stoppins being to arrestthe feed-girder differentially, the several stop-feed pins being located,

as shown, at different distances from the end 7 of the lever in normal position.

The feed of the tape takes place as a result of the movement of the feed-girder toward the right after it has been set against one or the other of the pins, according to the number of feed-wheel holesin the letter.

In order to move the feed-girder toward the left'to set it in position against the'appropriate stop ready for the feeding action, electromagnets'23 are employed, fixed below the top plate of the machine, Figs. 1 and 3, the pole 24 of which when the magnets are energized operates an armature-lever 25, pivoted at 26 to the cheeks 27, depending from the top plate, the said armature-lever being connected by links 28 with a suspended lever 29, pivoted at 30 in a housing 31 and having its lower end fitting between rollers 32' 32- on the feed-girder. i

Difi'erentz'al check for tape -fee0l mecha/nsm.--Before the said feed-setting magnets 23 are energized, however, and before the feed girder swings leftward to be set in position for the feeding action the appropriate check or stop-feed pin 22 to 22 is thrust inwardly across the space between the cheek-blocks 27 Fig. 4, and across the path of the feed-girder. For setting the check or stop-feed pins each is connected with one of a series of tertiary levers 33, Fig. 4, pivoted at their upper ends in-the casing 34:. These are operated by angular secondary levers 35, having rollers bearing thereon, said-secondary levers being in turn operated by rollers on primary levers 36, pivoted at their front ends to the frame 37.

' There is one set of these levers, primary, secin Fig. 1, 36" 36 '36? 36, corresponding to theondary, and tertiary, for each of the check or stop pins, and the primary lever of each set-is operated from one of the parallel bars and a separate one from those operating the other primary levers. The connection between theparallel bars and the primary levers consists ofstems or rods, as 38, extending up from the parallel bar to the correspond-- sets the feed-girder, so as to limit the travel of the tape to one ratchet feed-wheel hole. Parallel bar a actuates pin 22 through its individual' set of levers apd limits the travel to two feed-holes. This bar is operated when any key representing two feed-holes is depressed; Parallel bar a actuates stop-feed pin 22, representing letters having three feedholes, and in like manner parallel bar 11" actuates stop-feed pin, so that the feed-girder will be set to feed the tape four feed-holes, and when no stop-feed pin is thrust across the path of thefeed-girder while on its leftward or setting movement the said girder will be arrested by the block 22, fixed between the cheek-blocks 27, and when the feed-girder then moves from this position toward the right it will turn the lantern-wheel and star feed-wheel the maximum amount to feed the tape a distance equal to five feed-holes, so that letters having five feed-holes have no rollers or teeth in their combs, and consequently none of the parallel bars controlling the check or stop-feed pins will be operated when a key representing a letter of this character is depressed.

The action of the parts as thus far described maybe briefly stated as follows: Supposing a key is depressed representing a letter with.

two feed-holes, the first action will be to lift the comb corresponding to the said lever, and as this comb has a tooth or roller under parallel bar a said bar will beraised, thus operating the series of primary, secondary, and tertiary levers of stop-feed pin 22*, thrusting the same across the path of the feed-girder. As soon as the stop-feed'pin is set the feed-setting magnets 23 are energized, as will be hereinafter described, and the feed-girder is moved toward the left, Fig. 3, until 'it sets itself against the feed-stop pin 22". As a result of this action the pawl on the feed-girder will slip back over the teeth or pins of the lanternwheel, the said wheel, however, being held against movement by the spring-pressed detent 39. At this time alsothe reverse check-tooth 40has been removed from the lantern-wheel by the swinging of the-lever 29, and the parts are now set for the feeding of the tape. While' the parts of the feed mechanism are in this set position the punches are operated, as will be hereinafter described, and the tape is perforated, and as soon as this has been accomplished and the punches have been raised free from the tape'the setting feed-magnets 23 are deenergized and the spring 18 draws the feedgirder to the right, thus turning the lanterndepressing the space-bar of the machine and 1 ame/ting mechanism. This mechanism, in i so far as it relates to the punches and the mechanism for selecting the same, is substantially similar to that described in the applications above referred to, consisting generally of a series of punches 7, made up of two kinds, those 7 for the marking-holes and those 7 for the spacing or feed holes. These punches pass through a vertically-movable slider41 and are adapted to be selected and interlocked therewith in predetermined groups or series by interlocking pins 42, which pass through openings in the slider and into openings 43 in the punches. These interlocking pins are operated selectively from the selecting-combs before mentioned through the appropriate parallel bars and through lever and link mechanism 44 and 45, as shown in' Fig. 2, the said levers being suitably pivoted to the frame and being operated from the parallel bars by the rods 46.

r The passage-way for the tape is indicated at 47 and the punch or die plate, upon which the tape rests and through which the punches pass, is indicated at 48. The punches are arranged in a housing or casing 7, and the slider 41 is guided to move vertically in the said housing.

My improvement in this connection relates more particularly to the means for operating the slider with its interlocked punches so as to perforate the paper. For this purpose perforating-electromagnets 49 are supported in a frame 50, secured to the under side of the top plate of the machine. The armature 51 of the electromagnets is carried by a lever 52, pivoted at 53 to a block 54, adjustably secured to the top plate of the machine. This lever is made up of two side arms, which are pivotally connected to pitmen '55, which are in turn pivotally connected to the slider, so that when the electromagnets are energized the armature will be drawn down and the slider will be depressed to force the selected punches through the tape for the formation of the markingholes and the feed-ratchet holes After the electromagnets are deenergize'd a spring 56 will return the armature-lever and the slider and punches to their upper position ready for another operation.

At 57 I show an adjustable stop for the perforating action, this consisting of a cross-bar extending under the arms of the, armaturelever'and' held bythe hangers 58, extending up through the top plateand held bynuts59,

one of which is an adjusting-nut and the other a set-nut. v

, than that, g,

In Figs. 10" and 10 I show a plate for limiting the upward movement of the punches, said plate 58' 58" and 58 The plate has holes, as shown in Fig. 10, for the shanks of the punches. to pass up through, while the shoulders on the said punches abut against the under sideof, the plate, and their rise is limited thereby.

Electmic-circuit eonnectz'on.ln Fig. 7 I show a diagram of the electrical connections, electromagnets, and circuit-closing means. In this diagram the feed-setting electromagnets and the perforating-electromagnets are respectivelyponnected to their contact-springs '6 c andfw'ith the line-wire (Z of the battery,

the other pole of which is connected to the circuitclosing-key lever e, which is provided with two points or nipples f g, of which that, f, for the setting feed-magnet circuit is higher for closing the perforating-magnet circuit, from which it results that. when the circuit-closing-key lever is raised, as will hereinafter be described, the circuit of the feed-setting magnets will be closed first. The feed mechanism will thus be set ready for the feeding action, after which the perforatingelectromagnets will be energized, thus operating the punches, and as the circuit-closing lever moves down from the contacts band 0 it will leave 0 first, thus deenergizing the perforating-magnets, allowing the perforatingpunches to rise from 'thetape under the action of the spring 56, and the circuit-closing lever next leaves the contact-spring 6, thus deenerbeing adjustably held by screws to the top plate of the housing.

gizing the tape-feed-setting magnets, allow w ing the feed-girder 13 to be moved toward the right by the spring 18, and thereby turning the lantern-wheel and star feed-wheel according to the number of feed-holes in the letter or character just punched. The circuit-closing lever e and thespring-contacts b and 0 in practice are arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the lever a being pivoted to a bracket 59*, secured to the frame of the machine by ascrew 60, but, insulated from the said frame by the vulcanite block 61 and collar 62. This lever is operated by the parallel bar a, which is a universalbar in the sense that it is operated each time a key or the space-bar is depressed. The said bar carries an anvil 63, which engages a roller 64 of insulating material on the circuit-closing lever. 65 is the binding post or screw for the circuit-wire. The contactspring 0 is supported by a bracket 66, insulated, as at 67 from the machine-frame, and the binding post or screw for the circuit-wire is shownat 68. The contact-spring b is similarly arranged alongside the contact-spring c,1as' shown in Fig. 1. These contact-springs extend over the nipples or points of the circuit-closinglever, as best indicated diagrammatically. in Fig. 3, and their operation has @been described above. r r To briefly describe the sequence. of operations in the machine, it may be stated that on depressing a key the following actions take place successively: A check or stop-feed pin is thrust forward across the path of the feedgirder to arrest its setting action. The feedsetting magnet is energized and the feed mechanism is set ready for action, corresponding f in amount of feed to the number of feed-holes in the letter or character to be punched. The

trolled by a single circuitrclosing lever e and a single parallel bar.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be noticed that as the primary lever 36 rises its roller moves farther from the pivot of the secondary lever and the roller of this lever gradually moves away from the pivot of the tertiary lever 33, and as the roller of the secondary lever approaches the horizontal plane it of course has less effect on the tertiary lever 33, and this, together with the movement of the roller of the primary 'lever away from the pivotzof the secondary lever, tends to give the maximum throw to the check or stop-feed pins at the beginning of the setting action, the movement of said pins gradually decreasing in speed until they are properly set in position. It will be seen that the forked end of the primary lever 36, extending beyond its roller, embraces a part of the secondary lever, and the forked end of this secondary lever in turn embraces the edge of the tertiary lever, thus keeping the levers in line and preventing lateral displacement.

I The push rods or pins 38, which are selected by the parallel bars and in. turn select the proper set of levers for setting the cheek or clearly in-Figs.

stop-feed pins in position, are carried by a slider or shifting plate 38. (Shown more 1 and-4.) This plate is con-' nected with the lever 38', Figs. 1 and 8, pressed in one direction by a spring 38 and'having a connection 38 leading to a limiting-keyarranged similarly to the said key shown in the applications above referred to. By operating this limiting-key the slider or shifting plate 38 may be adjusted so as to eliminate the spacing-hole in order that two groups of holes representing different characters may be printed without interruption or without spacing between them, so as to represent-another character-such, for instance, as the interro-- gation-point. For instance, supposing it is 'a slider, interlocking pins lever,

desired to peiforate the two sets of holes representing pressing the key the letter ing the finger from the A key the tapewill be advanced only two feed-holes instead of three, because the operation of the limiting-' key has by shifting the plate 38" caused the stop-pin 22 to be set instead of the stop-pin 22, and if the 0 key is now depressed the perforations representing the letter 0 will be cut contiguous to those representing the letter A and without any space intervening,.thus forming a composite character, which in the present instance is the figure 1.

In Fig. 9 I show an alternative arrangement for moving forward the check or stoppins, whereby the roller on the end of the lever 36*, corresponding to the primary lever, before described, moves against an inclined plane 33 on the lever corresponding to the tertiary lever, so as to produce'a prompt action at the first movement of the parallel bar and a gradually-lessening action at the latter movementof the parallel bar.

. Referring to Fig. 10, it will be seen that the contacts 6 and 0 may be arranged one over the and O cqntiguously, by delimiting-key and then the A other instead of in'the same horizontal plane,

and the same successive closing of their respective circuits will result from this arrangement. A

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination in a perforating-machine, punchingmeans, atape-feeding roller, feeding means for operating the feed-roller, a setting- ,electromagnet' for setting the said feeding means, stop-feed pins, a keyboard, lever connections between the said keyboard and the stop-feed pins and circuit-closing means controlled from the keyboard for controlling the setting-electromagnet, s bstantially as de-' scribed. l 2. In combination with a group of punches, to connect the punches withthe slider in predetermined seriesor groups, and an electromagnet for operating'the slider, substantially as described. 3. In combination with a group of punches, means for selecting said'punches according to the key struck, an electromagnet, an armatureconnections between said lever and the punches and an adjustable stop for the punches acting on the armature-lever for limiting their movement under the pull of the electromagnet, substantially as described.

.4. In combination with a group of punches, tape-feeding means, stop-feed pins, a feed-setting electromagnet set the same in connection with the stop-feed pins, a. perforating-electromagnet for operatingthe punches, circuit connections, contacts therein controlling the setting-electromagnet and the perforatingelectromagnets, a circuitclosing lever, to operate the said contacts in succession, and means for actuating the tapefeed A is perforated; but on liftfor the feeding means to feed means to feed the tape when the settingelectromagnet is deenergized,substantially as described.

5. In combination, means for selecting said punches according to the key struck, an electromagnet for moving the punchesQto perforate the paper and an ad- 'justable stop for limiting the movement of the punches under the pull of the said'magnet, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a perforating-machine,

; a group of punches, a perforating-electromag- 2 5 l net for operating the said punches, tape-feednet for operating the said punches, tape-feeding means, a feed-setting magnet, mterlocking pins for the punches, a series of parallel bars, combs with connections to the finger-keys for.

operating the said parallel bars selectively, means for operating the interlocking mm from the parallel bars, electric contacts controlling the circuit to the feed-setting magnet and the perforating-magnet, said contacts being controlled by one of the parallel bars, substantially as described.

7. In combination, in a perforating-machine, a group of punches, a perforating-electromaging means, a feed-setting magnet, interlocking pins for the punches, a series of parallel bars, combs with connections to the fingerkeys for operating the said parallel bars selectively, means for operating the interlocking pins from the parallel bars, electric contacts controlling the circuit to the feed-setting magnet and the perforating-magnet, a circuitclosing lever controlling. the said contacts,

said lever being operated by one of the parallel bars, substantially as described.

8. In combination in aperfo'rating apparatus, tape-feeding means, a setting-feed electromagnet, punching means, a perforating-electromagnet for operating the said punching means, check or stop-feed pins for giving a: difi'erential action to the said tape-feed means,

a keyboard, lever connections between the said keyboard and the said check. or stop-feed.

pins whereby the same are selected andset by the manual operation of the keys, lever mechanism for mechanically selecting the punches upon the operation of the keys, an electric circuit including therein the feed-settingelectromagnet and the perforating-electromagnet contacts controlling the energizing of the said electromagnets in succession and means for closing the said contacts, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a perforating appara tus, a series of punches for perforating the tape, tape-feeding means, an electromagnet vfor controlling the tape-feeding means, an

electromagnet for operating the punches, in-

' terlocking pins for selecting the punches to be operated, check or stop-feed pins for givs 'ing a differential feedto the tape-feeding mechanism, a series of parallel selecting-bars,

a group of punches,

gaging the feed-girder,

key connections thereto, lever connections be tween the selecting-bars and the check-feed pins and the interlocking pins whereby said pins-are mechanically selected by the operation. of keys, electric-circuit connections including the feed controlling electromagnet and the punch-operating electromagnet contacts controlling the said circuit connections and a circuit-closing lever operated from one of the parallel bars to operate the contacts in succession, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a perforating-machine, feed pins and means for setting said pins in position, said means imparting a maximum throw to the said pins at'the outset and which throw gradually decreases, substantially as described. I 1

11. Incombination in. a perforating-machine, tape-fceding mechanism, check or stopfeed pins and means for setting: said pins in position, said means comprisinga plurality of levers, the end of the impelling-lever in each instance moving away from the pivot of the lever impelled, substantially as described.

12. In combination in a perforating-ma chine, tape-feeding mechanism, check or stopfeed pins and means for setting said pins in position comprising a, set of levers for each pin, each set being composed of a primary, a secondary and a tertiary lever,'substantially as described.

13. In combination in a perforating apparatus, tapefeeding means comprising a tapefeed wheel, a feed-girder, links supporting the same, one of which is supported axially of the tape feed wheel, means for operating the feed-girder and check or stop-feed pins arranged to be struck by the end face of the said lever as it swings longitudinally, substan- 'tially as described.

14. In combination in a perforating-machine, atape-feed wheel, a feed-girder, swinging links supporting the same, a lever 29 enat theendof the lever, an electromagnet and an armature-lever connected with the. lever 29, substantially as described.

15. In combination in a perforating-machine, a tape-feed wheel, afeed-girder, swinging links supporting the same, a lever 29 endiflerential stop-pins gaging the feed-girder, at the end of the lever, an electromagnet and an armature-lever connected with the lever 29, said lever 29 havinga reverse check-tooth and a wheel operated by the feed-girder con-' tape-feeding mechanism, check or stop-- diflerential stop-pinstrolled by said check-tooth, substantially as described.

16. In combination in a perforating-machlne,

punching mechanism, a tape-feed wheel, a lantern-wheel connected therewith,

a feedgirder, parallel links supporting the feedgirder, a pawl for turning the lanternwheel, differential stop -pins at the end face of the feed-girder, means for setting the said pins, an electromagnet, an armature-lever, a lever 29 connected to the feed-girder and having a reverse check-tooth to engage the lantern-wheel and a connection between the said lever 29 and the armature-lever, substantially closing lever for closing the circuits through the said springs in succession by first engaging with the lower contact with which said lever is normally out of contact and lifting the same to engage with the upper contact, substantially as described. a

18. In combination in a perforating apparatus, punches and electromagnets, an armature-lever connected with the punches, an adjustable pivot for the armature-lever and an adjustable U-shaped stop for the said lever,

substantially as described.

19. In combination in a perforating apparatus, a tape-feed roller, a longitudinallymovable feed-girder, parallel links supporting the said girder,- a pawl moving with the girder, and differential stop means for the said girder, substantially as described.

- 20. In combinationwith the punches, means 'for operating the same consisting of a slider and interlocking pins to fix the punches thereto and means for limiting the rise of the punches consisting of a perforated plate through pass and means for adjusting the plate vertically, substantially as described. 1

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN-GELL;

Witnesses: v

E. COURTNEY. WALKER, J. PHILLIPS CRAWLEY.

which the shanks of the punches' 

